2024 marks 10 years since Wickersley School and Sports College academised and the inception of Wickersley Partnership Trust. To mark the occasion, WPT is putting on a range of events and activities to celebrate the milestone.
One of these activities was the WPT School Report project. The aim of the project was to give students from across our 13 schools the opportunity to use their voice on the topical subjects that matter the most to them.
On the 18th June, Y7 and Y8 students from The Gainsborough Academy debated different ideas with their peers, and picked what they were most passionate about to create their own news items.
The students were given a range of mediums to utilise to present their final pieces: a newsletter/news article, a video news item or a podcast-style audio. The students were also given the opportunity to interview staff members from across the Trust to add different views and more impact to their stories.
The students chose to discuss a variety of current news items, including social media and internet use; mental health in children and young people; the Covid inquiry and its impact on education; school dinners; and girls in sport to name a few.
Students dissected and discussed the topics and their opinions on what’s happening in the world around them, how it relates to their school life, and what their schools and the Trust are doing to help them. Students also gave their views on what they would like to see in the future from the Trust, their schools and for the UK as a whole.
The WPT School Report aimed to help the students to develop a range of skills, including networking, by working with new peers and a range of staff, including teachers and the Trust’s Media Team. Their communication skills were also challenged and enhanced by deciding on the format of their pieces (the different topics and mediums required different tones of voice), and putting together their scripts and news articles for each team.
After writing and recording their pieces, the students were given guidance on editing their pieces. Those who chose to podcast and video, were also given the opportunity to use the industry-standard editing software and see how to revise their recordings to get the best possible final outcome.
All the students said they had really enjoyed taking part in the WPT School Report and the chance to experience something different, including the hands-on elements of filming, recording and editing.